


How to Deal With Painful Feelings of Rejection (with Loki and Tony)

by Fluffypanda



Series: Magic and Rejection [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-06-04 13:42:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6660538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fluffypanda/pseuds/Fluffypanda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki is working through some things. Tony is roped into it even though he has his own problems.</p><p>This takes place five months after Can't Stop Thinking About You (You're Too Purrfect).</p>
            </blockquote>





	How to Deal With Painful Feelings of Rejection (with Loki and Tony)

**Author's Note:**

> I saw something on one of the blogs that I follow and it inspired me to write this. I modified the title a little to fit, but here is the post: http://onlinecounsellingcollege.tumblr.com/post/143024972407/how-to-talk-about-painful-feelings-of-rejection

Tony regretted what he said to Loki. Not the joke that got him thrown out a window, nor the lie that had him intermittently turning into a cat. No, what he regretted saying was “If you need to talk, I’m willing to listen, anytime.”

Loki seemed to take that as an invitation to pop up around every corner and to call him endlessly. Or at least it felt that way. JARVIS would say that on average Loki called 1.3 times a week with each call lasting on average 63.5 minutes. His appearances in person were much less frequent, with four instances of appearing in the car beside Tony, two instances of appearing at an event Tony was attending, and one instance of appearing while Tony was in the Men’s room over the course of five months.

Tony might have forgiven Loki, but he still felt like he was seeing way too much of him. Maybe it was the way Loki tried to guilt trip him for rejecting him. Maybe it was the timing Loki had, always catching him after an awkward moment with Steve. Or maybe it was those awkward moments with Steve that left him with no patience for Loki.

Tony thought that since Steve started dating him he’d be happy, but somehow it wasn’t working out. Steve would cancel dates (for mission related reasons), he would avoid kisses, not look Tony in the eye, and avoid anything that could lead to sex. Steve had asked him out just over four months ago, Tony thought they would at least get to kissing by this point and that was with severely modified expectations. Tony knew they were both busy and that Steve would have different sensibilities about this sort of thing, so it wasn’t like he was expecting miracles.

Tony had just finished another awkward date with Steve when Loki called to complain about how rejected he felt, and did Tony know how painful it was to be continually rejected? How would Loki ever recover?

Tony got fed up and searched online for something to shut Loki up. He sent Loki a random link without really looking at it. It was an article from something called the Online Counselling College titled “How to Deal With Painful Feelings of Rejection”. Now Loki could figure it out on his own.

①

  
What Tony did not anticipate was that Loki would come find him the very next day. Or rather stage an attack on New York City so the Avengers would have to find him. He was laughing on a rooftop while lizards the size of golden retrievers crawled on buildings all over the city, spitting slime at people.

As soon as he saw Iron Man, Loki grabbed him and teleported away. Tony had an awful sense of déjà vu. They were now in Loki’s apartment. Tony lifted the suit’s faceplate.

“What are you doing?!” Tony shouted.

“I needed to talk to you.” Loki said, frowning.

“You couldn’t have used the phone? You didn’t need to attack the city.” Tony said exasperatedly.

“You don’t really listen to me when I call you. I needed to do this face to face.” Loki sullenly said.

“Do what?” Tony said; there may have been a hint of suspicion in his voice.

Loki held up his phone, it was displaying the link Tony sent the night before. Tony could read the first item on the list.

_Talk about your feelings with someone you trust, and someone who accepts you unconditionally._

“This says I should talk to someone I trust, who accepts me. That is obviously you.” Loki said matter-of-factly.

Tony was rather surprised to hear that Loki supposedly trusted him. He put that aside though and said, “I’m not sure I’m the one you should talk to about this.” Tony was pretty sure people shouldn’t talk about rejection with the people that rejected them. It was probably counter-productive or something.

Loki simply said, “I have no one else.”

Growing desperate Tony said, “What about Thor?” He regretted it immediately. Tony normally knew better than to mention Thor if Loki didn’t already bring him up. He watched carefully for Loki’s reaction, glad he still had his armor.

Tony relaxed when Loki deliberately misunderstood his question and started talking about all the times he felt rejected, beginning with the stuff Thor did. Tony sat down and half-listened to Loki as he went through centuries worth of painful feelings. Idly Tony wondered where he was going wrong with Steve.

②

  
Tony hoped he was done after listening to Loki actually talk about his feelings for hours on end. It made him uncomfortable because Tony didn’t do feelings. He related to some of what Loki described, but there was no way he was ever going to talk about his feelings like that.

Tony was on his way back from a business meeting when Loki found him. The first time Loki teleported into his car Tony was really surprised, however this was already the fifth time it happened. That was about the same as the number of dates he had with Steve. Tony was completely used to it, he didn’t jump at all. He only dropped his papers because they went over a pothole.

Loki showed Tony the next item on the list.

_Make a list of all your positive traits. Include all the good things that you see in yourself, and everything that others have mentioned in the past. Make sure the list is detailed and very, very long!_

Loki put away his phone and pulled out a roll of parchment and a quill. He looked Tony in the eyes and said, “Tell me about my Positive traits.”

“Uhhhhh….You’re kind of hot?” Tony tried. Loki motioned for him to continue. “You, uh, have an interesting laugh, very villain-y. You definitely have a sense of humor, not one everyone appreciates it though. You look good in green. You somehow manage to pull off the horned helmet look…” Tony trailed off when he noticed Loki’s displeased look.

Loki said, “Is there nothing else?”

Tony opened his mouth to come up with something, anything, but for once his words completely failed him. Loki was not amused.

Tony felt the familiar sensation of magic being cast on him before Loki disappeared. For the rest of the day anything Tony said turned into praise for Loki. Including everything he said to Steve.

③

  
After Loki’s little curse wore off and Tony calmed down a bit he decided that he should probably check that article to see what else is on the list. The next item was:

_Recognize that rejection says nothing about you. It is one specific person or one relationship. Don’t allow that to define you as a total individual. There’s so more to you than that one aspect of your life._

Tony was relieved; he didn’t think Loki would bother him with this. The whole point was that there were other parts of his life. Still Tony kept a look out for Loki related activity.

A few days later JARVIS reported there was news of a cult in Norway that made sacrifices and committed pranks in Loki’s name, many of the members had strange powers that they claimed were granted by their god.

Tony tried calling Loki to get some sort of explanation, but all Loki had to say was “I’m still a god”.

 

④

  
Tony woke up on his ceiling. His room and all its contents were as he left them before going to bed, but he was on the ceiling. It was extremely disorienting as his sense of up and down was completely confused. The ceiling was down, but when he let go of his blanket it fell up. He called his armor and flew outside his tower. Once he got out, he could see that almost every building on Manhattan was turned upside-down. People were milling in the streets at the impossible sight. Many others were trapped in buildings with no way out now that the entrances were in the air.

Tony re-entered the tower and started looking for the other Avengers. He found Steve climbing down (up?) the stairwell. Tony took Steve out to the street, telling him what he knew about the situation on the way. Steve told Tony to find the other Avengers and bring them back to where Steve was waiting so they could get to the bottom of this.

It was only when Tony found Loki laughing on the only building left right-side up on Manhattan that he remembered the next item on the list.

_Do something you enjoy. Take your mind off feeling lonely, or feeling like a failure, by choosing to do something that you usually enjoy (Listening to music, going to the movies, calling up a friend, reading a book etc)._

⑤

  
Tony was planning his approach for his next date with Steve. Steve kept on asking Tony out, so there had to be something Tony could do to progress their relationship. He just needed to ask before Steve could pull away again.

Tony didn’t get to put any of his plans into action because the museum their date was going to take place at had closed to investigate the theft of an ancient scroll from their collection. Not even Tony’s influence could get them in. Tony was standing outside the museum with Steve trying to find something else to suggest they do when it started raining.

Tony just couldn’t see the point anymore, so he said, “Let’s just go home.”

Tony missed Steve’s disappointed look when he got back in his car.

_Treat yourself to something special like a new pair of jeans. There’s nothing wrong with seeking out a temporary boost. It can get you past this moment – so you can find the strength you need to recover all the pieces - and then build your life again._

⑥

  
Tony tried not to think about how badly the next item on the list could go. It seemed fairly innocent, but Loki has managed to cause trouble with everything else on the list so far. Tony took another look.

_Do something physical like going for a run. It’s a great way to channel all that energy. Also, exercise is known to be a natural mood enhancer._

Tony couldn’t imagine Loki going for a run. It seemed out of character to something like exercise. Maybe they would get lucky and Loki would be satisfied with what he’s done so far…

Tony knew he was fooling himself, but he really didn’t think Loki would lead the Avengers through New York in what was essentially a huge, magical game of tag. As Tony saved civilians caught in the crossfire, Tony resolved not to be surprised by anything Loki did.

⑦

  
Tony was surprised to hear his phone ringing during his dinner date with Steve. He knew he turned it off. He looked at the screen and it was Loki calling. He tried to ignore the call, but it kept ringing until he picked it up. He told Steve to give him a minute and left their table.

Before Tony could complain, Loki said, “It took you long enough to pick up. This doesn’t make sense.” Loki then read aloud the next number on the list.

_Remember, not everyone will think you’re fabulous. That just part of being human … we’re different from each other. Accept and value your own uniqueness, your qualities, your strengths and your personality._

“I don’t believe this applies to me, I’m not human.” Loki added.

“That isn’t the point, even I know that as awesome as I am, not everyone is going to like me. That’s true for everyone, even gods” Tony explained. He wanted to settle this and get back to Steve.

“It isn’t true for Thor.” Loki grumbled.

Tony pointed out, “You hate Thor.” There was an odd silence on the other end of the line. Tony decided to change tactics. “There are lots of great things about you, we made a list remember?”

“No one loves me, they prefer someone like Thor.” Loki sobbed.

Tony offered, “That’s not true. You have your cult out in Norway, do you?”

“They are bunch of fools. They don’t truly care for me. No one does.” Loki bit out.

Tony tried to comfort Loki. “Hey, I like you.”

Loki was having none of it. “You rejected me.”

“Now, I may not love you, but it doesn’t mean I don’t like you. I’m talking to you even though I’m on a date. I wouldn’t do that for just anyone.”

Tony and Loki continued like that for quite a while. At one point Steve found Tony and let him know Steve had to go, someone needed his help. Tony showed that he understood while still reassuring Loki. Eventually he had to settle his bill and leave the restaurant.

⑧

  
Tony wasn’t sure he could face team movie night. After abandoning Steve during their date Tony felt so terrible he started avoiding him. It wasn’t hard; Steve was busy with some mission in Europe until earlier that day. Tony was certain that any chance he had with Steve was ruined. Even someone as nice as Steve would be fed up with someone who interrupted their date to talk to a super villain. Tony couldn’t figure out why Steve kept asking him out anyway, he clearly didn’t want to be intimate with him. Maybe he noticed Tony’s feelings and felt bad for him.

In the end Tony decided to go to the common room for movie night. With any luck he could catch Steve there before the movie and have him put him out of his misery. Once things were settled, Tony could start getting over it. He had a list now.

Steve was the only one in the common room when Tony got there. It was just what Tony wanted, but now he wasn’t sure what to do. He had to say something. Both Tony and Steve stood there staring at each other until Tony blurted out, “You don’t have to force yourself. I don’t need pity dates.”

“Pity dates?” Steve was shocked and confused.

“Yeah! Pity dates! You clearly don’t want to touch me, yet you keep asking me out! I don’t know what else to think!” Tony couldn’t look at Steve.

Steve came to stand beside Tony. He put his hand on Tony’s cheek and gently turned Tony to face him. Steve’s face was red as he gazed into Tony’s eyes. After working himself up to something Steve quickly shut his eyes and kissed Tony.

It started as a gentle kiss, but when Steve started to pull away, Tony made moves to deepen it. Soon they were completely wrapped up in each other. When they finally pulled apart, Steve breathlessly told Tony, “I love you.”

If Steve hadn’t already been supporting Tony he would have fallen over at that. He was dizzy with emotion. Steve pulled them over to the couch and started explaining, “I know I messed up. I don’t really have much experience dating and I hurt you because I was too nervous to take the next step. I’m sorry, I really do love you.”

Tony slowly came back to himself. “You could have just told me you needed more time.”

Steve apologized, “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

They cuddled together on the couch and watched the movie they had chosen for the night. Tony thought it was odd that none of the other Avengers showed up until he checked his text messages and saw one from Natasha saying that She, Bruce, Clint, and Thor had encountered a minor emergency on the way back from dinner. There was another one from Loki that said:

_Remember that “this too will pass”. All of us encounter various bumps along the way. It feels bad in the moment – but in time our feelings change._


End file.
